Urbanisation and Poverty Alleviation in Africa: Designing better outcomes in African cities
I must admit to being something of a rural idealist – imagining the life of the peasant farmer as one of simplicity and content. However, a quote from one of Africa’s most accomplished urban designers sticks with me as I think about urbanisation in Africa: “If you think urban poverty is bad, try rural poverty”. And he has a point... Read the blog.
Richard Palmer, 28 February 2012
Is South East England’s drought anything more than a minor annoyance?
For many the drought that’s been declared in the UK this week is the bit of ‘nature’ story at the end of the news. We think water companies will engineer an answer, and if we can’t water the lawn because we’ve a hosepipe ban then it’s a bit inconvenient but not much more than that. Read the blog.
David Symons, 21 February 2012
COP17 at Durban – what might the outcomes mean for the built environment
During December, I have been fortunate enough to have visited a number of WSP South African offices, and have participated at the climate talks (COP17) in Durban. Some of my observations on what was happening and the final outcomes can be found on two websites. Read the blog.
Paul Toyne, 13 December 2012
I used to be an environmental regulator
I spent nearly twenty years in senior roles in the Victorian Environment Protection Authority in Australia.Wherever you are in the world, regulation is typically about rules and minimum standards. It certainly was for us at EPA Victoria.Then we decided that regulation was also going to be about innovation. In Victoria, regulation would help businesses to innovate. Regulation would help businesses make money. Lots of it. Why? Read the blog.
Terry A’Hearn, 21 September 2011
The Secret of Villages - The Densification Question
One of the sustainability axioms that I don't believe has been thoroughly unpacked is the question of densification. In every conversation about sustainable cities, the need to densify our cities is an early point of discussion. On the surface it seems to have merit but there are some fundamental concerns with a vision of densification as the silver bullet. And especially so in Africa. Read the blog.
Richard Palmer, 19 September 2011
Sustainability as a bar of soap
‘It’s important’. We’re ‘doing our bit’. We’re ‘on a journey’. Companies sustainability statements are littered with hackneyed phrases that describe the small steps that companies are taking to reduce their impact on the environment. And while it’s right to acknowledge these small steps, it’s also reasonable to ask if it’s enough and if companies really are ‘doing their bit’. Read the blog.
David Symons, 17 September 2011